


a sleigh ride together with you

by msaudreyanne



Category: Anastasia (1997), Anastasia - Flaherty/Ahrens/McNally
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Christmas AU, F/M, One-Shot, Tooth-Rotting Fluff, Tumblr Prompt, angsty fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-02
Updated: 2020-12-02
Packaged: 2021-03-10 06:06:52
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,993
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27829435
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/msaudreyanne/pseuds/msaudreyanne
Summary: tumblr prompt: sleigh rideDmitry is back in town for the holidays. Angsty fluff ensues.
Relationships: Dimitri | Dmitry/Anya | Anastasia Romanov (Anastasia 1997 & Broadway)
Comments: 10
Kudos: 27





	a sleigh ride together with you

**Author's Note:**

  * For [missingcrowdsof1000s](https://archiveofourown.org/users/missingcrowdsof1000s/gifts).



Dmitry really hated this stupid town.

He’d resolved himself to never come back to this place. As he maneuvered through the crowds on Main Street, he couldn’t help but think it looked like a Hallmark movie had vomited everywhere. Twinkling lights and holly covered every square inch of possible space and folks were full of cheer as they stopped in the middle of the walkway to converse with friends as if they hadn’t seen them in ages, despite it probably only being a few hours. As the sun began to set behind the tall pines, snowflakes started to fall.

It all gave him indigestion.

Vlad had been insistent that Dmitry come back for this holiday weekend. Dmitry hadn’t been home since high school and Vlad wanted to introduce him to his new bride. Vlad rambled on and on about how important the holidays were for family and that Lily was eager to get to know him.

When Dmitry walked in the front door, he’d almost turned around immediately, apologizing for entering the wrong house. Vlad’s house before was the quintessential bachelor’s pad. The only food items they kept in the house were boxes of cereal, (maybe) unexpired milk, and condiment packets in the drawer with all the takeout menus. They never decorated for holidays before, because it was just the two of them and they never really cared much for all the fuss.

This house was a home. Lily (at least he guessed this was her doing) had pulled out all the stops. Michael Bublé filtered throughout the halls and Dmitry was overcome with the smell of cinnamon and clove. Almost every room had some kind of Christmas theme to it and he caught a glimpse of a massive tree in the living room as Lily wrapped him up in a warm hug. She dragged him towards the kitchen and instructed Vlad to take his bags to his room.

“I’m sorry dinner isn’t ready yet, but I got distracted making cookies and forgot to put the roast in early.” Lily seemed very upset with herself, but Dmitry couldn’t remember the last home-cooked meal he’d had. And she’d made a fucking roast?

It was a far cry from what Dmitry was accustomed to, but he was happy for Vlad. He often worried about the old man, especially after he left town, but now he could see he was well taken care of.

Over dinner – which was delicious, by the way – Vlad and Lily informed him that the Christmas Carnival would be going on the next day. He fought back an eye roll when he heard this bit of news. Of -fucking course this town still kept up the Christmas tradition. It was ridiculous, really. The entire town shut down to celebrate this purely commercial, capitalist holiday.

“Lily has volunteered us to be the Santa and Mrs. Claus for the children’s photo booth!”

Vlad sounded so proud of this development that Dmitry almost – _almost_ – felt bad about mocking him in his mind.

“Now this I _have_ to see.”

But now that he made his way to the stupid carnival, he was more annoyed than anything. Vlad and Lily were clearly having the time of their lives with all of the kids scrambling to say hi to them. Parents, bless them, tried to get the kids to wait patiently in line, but it was a level of pure chaos that Dmitry couldn’t stand to be around for too long.

He wandered around a bit, taking in the different food stands and craft booths. He was so in his own head that he didn’t notice the person in front of him until they slammed together and his arms reached out to steady them both. He looked down at the small figure to find himself wrapped up with none other than Anastasia – fucking – Romanov.

Fucking fantastic.

When he left this godforsaken town years ago, he’d hoped to _never_ see these crystal blue eyes again.

As was his luck, not only was he staring into those eyes (that definitely did _not_ haunt his dreams), but her delicate hands were tightly gripping his biceps. He could feel the warmth of her through his winter coat and when she registered who she’d run into, her hands flexed slightly.

“Dima…” The steam from her breath carried up to his ears and just like that, he was once again a foolish teenager, thinking he could spend the rest of his life with his very own princess.

“Nastya.” He tried to keep himself curt, hoping that she would get the message and walk away from him quickly and they could pretend this hadn’t happened.

“What…what are you – ”

“Anastasia! Come on! We’re going to the barn dance now!”

She looked over her shoulder at the voice calling back to her and held up a finger to stall. When she turned to face him again, her eyes were curious, but there was also that tell-tale Anya glint to them. He was in trouble, for sure.

“You’re coming with me. That’s not a request.”

“Nastya, wait. I - ” But she’d already snaked her arm through his and pulled him after her. She was always abnormally strong, especially when she wanted something.

“Look who I found!” Dear God, please someone kill him now. “You all go on without us. Dmitry and I are going to _catch up_.” 

To an outsider, her tone was cheery and no one would suspect a thing. Her siblings, eyebrows raised almost comically, nodded in agreement and hurried on their way to the large barn in the distance. Anya’s fingers dug into his arm and as much as he wanted to make a scene and run as fast as he could to the airport, his stupid heart allowed himself to be directed to the line as well.

He looked up to see what they’d be partaking in and groaned. He could see Anya smirk out of the corner of his eye and he cursed to himself. She knew exactly what she was doing

They were in line for Sleigh Ride. It was a Christmas-style Tunnel of Love, but instead of swans they had to sit in too-small versions of Santa’s sleigh. There was also no water – obviously with the temperature – but Dmitry would’ve rather enjoyed drowning or hypothermia at the moment. Anything would be better than being confronted by his past.

Anya maintained her false cheeriness as they took their seats and allowed the ride operator to check their safety bar. Dmitry debated asking him if the safety bar protected against angry Russians, but he wisely kept his mouth shut.

Their sleigh lurched forward and his nerves threatened to consume him. Sure enough, as soon as they were out of earshot from the line of people, Anya turned to face him. He could see even in the darker lighting that her eyes shown with unshed tears.

“Explain.”

“I’m not sure there’s anything I could say that would make sense to you.” He desperately wanted to look away, but her eyes held him in place.

“Try me.”

“Nastya…”

“How about you start with where you went.” She folded her arms around herself. He almost thought to ask if she was cold and if she wanted his coat, but that might’ve earned him a punch in the nose, so he refrained.

“I went to the city. I wanted to try and make something of myself.” He was glossing over so much, but this was a short ride and he knew Anya had more questions.

“Did you?”

“I mean. I have a really good job. A place of my own. Even got a cat.”

“Are you happy?”

“I…” Why did he pause? Why couldn’t he just tell her he was doing wonderful and he loved his life away from this place and away from her. “I am content, I guess.”

“So why are you back here then.”

“Vlad. He was likely to come get me himself and drag me back here for Christmas. He wanted me to meet Lily and spend the holidays with them.”

“Oh so you can handle holidays for Vlad, but when I invite you to spend the weekend at my family’s you pack your bags and disappear in the middle of the night!”

“I was eighteen and stupid.”

“You were a coward!” The tunnel was filled with various colored Christmas lights, but he could still see Anya flush with her anger.

“You’re right!” He wanted to throw his hands up in exasperation, but settled for running a hand anxiously through his hair. “I was terrified of going to the Romanov estate and being judged as the poor orphan charity case.”

Anya looked like she wanted to say something in response but he didn’t let her interrupt.

“I was young and absolutely out of my mind with the realization that you deserved so much more than anything I could ever give you and that maybe, just maybe, if I could go make something of myself, I’d be worthy of you.”

“Dima…” Anya’s frostiness melted. Her hand reached out to grasp his and he could feel his own eyes filling with tears.

“And then I just stayed away because I assumed you’d be better off without me. You’d find someone worthy of you and it would be easy and your family wouldn’t whisper behind your back.”

Her family had never done that, but he’d also never given them the chance. Her immediate family had actually loved him. That weekend he’d disappeared, he was supposed to meet the extended family – cousins, aunts, uncles – all people who had no qualms about voicing their distaste in Anya’s choice of partner.

“And…I stayed away because if you had found someone else…” He was now firmly looking at his feet. He couldn’t say those next few words if he saw her face. He didn’t know what he’d do. “If you had found someone else, I don’t think I could bear to see you love someone that wasn’t me.”

Anya wrestled with her gloves, stuffing them into her pockets, and placed her bare hands on his cheeks. The skin-to-skin contact sent shockwaves through his system and he was forced to meet her gaze. Sure enough, as soon as he saw the love in her eyes, he was gone. Lost. Unable to move.

She pulled his face to hers and sealed their lips in a kiss he’d dreamed about since he’d left, but he definitely did not deserve.

He broke the kiss and already started apologizing when she threaded her fingers in his hair and tugged him – none-too-gently – back to her, effectively silencing him. Resigning to his fate, Dmitry cupped her face and couldn’t help the happy rumble that left him when Anya deepened the kiss.

Anya drew back a breath and waited for him to open his eyes again.

“Dima, you’re an absolute idiot. You do not get to make decisions about what is best for me.” Her tone was stern and he felt like there was more scolding to come. “But I love you and if you think you’re going to run away again, I have a very rude surprise for you.”

“Wait…what?”

“Dmitry Sudayev. I am not going to let you out of my life again just because you have convinced yourself of what I ‘deserve.’ You are my person and I’ve already spent too many Christmases without you.”

She kissed him again, quick and hard, before pulling back to smile at his own stupid, dopey grin.

“You love me.” It wasn’t a question, but he still needed the confirmation, just to be sure. When she nodded, tears finally falling down her cheeks and Dmitry lifted his thumb up to brush them away. “And I love you.”

“You'd better.”

“I do. Now can we please get off this ride and go somewhere warmer? Your lips are turning blue.”

“Why don’t you do something to warm them up then, Sudayev?”

Now it was his turn to silence her.

**Author's Note:**

> 💛💛💛
> 
> Thanks for reading!


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